September 4, 2025 • 35 mins
She Facetimed Rihanna… Then Got the Call! 👀
In this raw and hilarious episode of Black in the Green Room with Keith L. Underwood, comedy legend LUENELL opens up about her Savage X Fenty ambassadorship, sharing what really happened when she told Rihanna she wanted to model—and got the contract. She also dishes on her Netflix stand-up special “Chappelle’s Home Team Presents: Luenell: Town Business,” being the first Black female comedian to sell out the Apollo since Moms Mabley, and her monthly Flappers residency “That Time of the Month”—running the first Wednesday of every month in Burbank. Luenell is raw, real, and always unfiltered. Tap in now to hear what she has to say about fame, fashion, and that gumbo everybody keeps asking for. 🔗 Full article on EURweb
🎥 Full video interview on YouTube @blackinthegreenroom
📍More info & tickets at luenell.com & flapperscomedy.com
In this raw and hilarious episode of Black in the Green Room with Keith L. Underwood, comedy legend LUENELL opens up about her Savage X Fenty ambassadorship, sharing what really happened when she told Rihanna she wanted to model—and got the contract. She also dishes on her Netflix stand-up special “Chappelle’s Home Team Presents: Luenell: Town Business,” being the first Black female comedian to sell out the Apollo since Moms Mabley, and her monthly Flappers residency “That Time of the Month”—running the first Wednesday of every month in Burbank. Luenell is raw, real, and always unfiltered. Tap in now to hear what she has to say about fame, fashion, and that gumbo everybody keeps asking for. 🔗 Full article on EURweb
🎥 Full video interview on YouTube @blackinthegreenroom
📍More info & tickets at luenell.com & flapperscomedy.com
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
You are Black in the green Room with me your host,
Keith Underwood, and this is your spot for real talk
about entertainment with the entertainers, creatives and show viz professionals.
Y'all know, y'all know, we love to bring legends through
the green room, and today we've got one of the funniest,
fiercest women in the game. She's the original bad girl
(00:23):
of comedy and she's fresh off another sould out show
at the Apollo Theater making history once again. Come on, now,
you've heard her in You've heard her in dog Man,
seen her killing it in Hacks on HBO, and she's
back in Vegas with her comedy residency from Netflix to
(00:44):
Broadway to Savage Vintie. This woman does it all. Please
welcome back to Black in the Green Room, the unstoppable Lunell.
Speaker 2 (00:53):
Lunell, what is up?
Speaker 3 (01:00):
How are you? Thank you for having me back?
Speaker 2 (01:02):
Of course, anytime, anytime.
Speaker 4 (01:04):
How you been I've been pretty exhausted, yes, but but
you know, blessed at the same time booked and busy
and in this millennial.
Speaker 3 (01:16):
Obsessed world for og like me to still be out.
Speaker 4 (01:20):
Here and causing a ruckers and being in demand as
a pretty pretty wonderful thing.
Speaker 1 (01:26):
That's right, absolutely, no, we know what's what's the realness
about it? You said, you know you've got a lot
going on. There's a lot of moving parts to what
you're doing right now, like and you said, it's it
wears you out, it's tiring.
Speaker 2 (01:40):
What's that like?
Speaker 4 (01:42):
Well, you know, as a female in this game, it's
very taxing on your motherhood time, it's very taxing on
your relationship.
Speaker 3 (01:55):
It's very hard to have one. And nobody just wants
to work.
Speaker 2 (01:59):
You know.
Speaker 3 (01:59):
I'm a I'm I don't want my handheld too. I
want to go out to dinner too.
Speaker 4 (02:02):
But man, cow, you know, and everybody, every man is
not secure enough to be with a woman who's as
popular as I am on site. You know, these nails,
it's hair, and it's like a light bulb on my head.
Speaker 3 (02:19):
And so I'm hard to miss, you know.
Speaker 4 (02:21):
Unless I try to go a little undercover, and that
never works because I, like I said, if they see
my hands, they know who I am. If I open
my mouth, I'm busted immediately with this baritone voice of mine.
So it's it's a little difficult, but thank god that
I you know, I am a praying woman and that
(02:42):
I am getting the love that will suffice me for
now from my fans.
Speaker 2 (02:50):
Nice. That's that's beautiful. Who know?
Speaker 1 (02:52):
You know, what is what is it like when people
come up to you. What's the first thing that they
say to you?
Speaker 4 (02:58):
Well, they usually just start laughing before I can say, hey,
how are you today? And they just start busting up,
you know. Or they'll come up to me and you know,
oh my god, my mom loves you, or you're my
favorite comic, or I love right saw da da da
da da uh when you're gonna go into it with
(03:18):
Cat Williams again or blah blah blah. You know, a
lot of people know me from him, and it depends
on how you approach me what my reaction may because
I'm not always you know.
Speaker 3 (03:31):
Happy and cheerful.
Speaker 4 (03:32):
If you bother me before I go into the bathroom,
if I'm headed toward the bathroom, You're gonna get a
different reaction then you would if you would wait and
let me come out of the bathroom. You know, if
I'm going to the bathroom, obviously I have to go,
so like, don't stop me or anybody on the way
into the bathroom. But once we come out. We relieved ourselves.
(03:53):
Watch their hands come out. You'll get a different reaction,
you know what I'm saying. Or people come up and say, hey,
you know, I really your work. You're so funny. Would
you mind if I get a photo? I don't mind that,
But it's what girl girl yous A girl used somebody
that night. You're making a big production. That's gotta alert
(04:13):
other people. Now we gotta scene, right man?
Speaker 3 (04:18):
So you know it's levels to this.
Speaker 1 (04:20):
Yeah, yeah, you know, Lunell. You just recently rocked the
Apollo Theater, as I mentioned early, and you're Milly and
dog Man.
Speaker 2 (04:28):
How fun is it?
Speaker 1 (04:29):
You know, stepping into into making history as one of
the first comedians since Moms mayble to sell out the Apollo.
Speaker 4 (04:41):
Black females because I don't know, they might have some
other comedians do it in the mouth, but I'm the
first black female comic to sell out the Apollo doing
comedy since nineteen sixty eight when Moms did it. And
I did not believe that when they told me, I said,
you got to be kidding. I said, Shirley, Whoopy's been
They're like, no, not to do comedy. I saw Wanda Sykes,
(05:03):
I know you. They said, no, they usually go They
usually go to the Beacon. The Beacon theater is much larger.
You'll make way more money. But see, I didn't do
the Apollo to make money. I did the Apollo to
create legacy. I was very amazed that I got a
chance to even get this opportunity. You know, I've been
(05:26):
to the Apollo. I've walked around it. I've been upstairs.
I've been in the dressing rooms where the supremes and
attempts have been. I've seen the other theater. There's another
theater in there. I've been there when Landa Adams band
was practicing for Christmas Show. I never never thought that
I was going to get the opportunity to perform there.
And when my agents told me that I was going
(05:47):
to be doing the Apollo, I said, okay, who win.
I'm thinking I'm going to be with sad or DLS
and they said, no you. I said me, I'm going
to headline the Apollo. And I was my name under
marquee and everything was very heavy experience. It was very
emotional to know the history of those boards that James Brown.
Speaker 3 (06:07):
Laid in state there when he passed away.
Speaker 4 (06:10):
You know, I'm saying a region probably performed there fifteen times,
you know, from the Jackson five to the Tempts to
the Tops.
Speaker 3 (06:19):
And I was on that stage and it blew my mind.
Speaker 4 (06:23):
And then to add one more thing layer to it.
Back when they were doing and I brought Keiki Svard
with me, by the way, both.
Speaker 3 (06:30):
Times Apollo legend.
Speaker 2 (06:32):
Yes, because I.
Speaker 4 (06:33):
Feel like I would be remiss since I know her,
to not go back and bring her and.
Speaker 3 (06:39):
Let the people see her.
Speaker 4 (06:40):
She still looks good, she's amazing, She's an Apollo legend.
Speaker 3 (06:44):
Why wouldn't I bring her back?
Speaker 2 (06:45):
You know?
Speaker 4 (06:46):
And back when they were doing showtime at the Apollo
amateur night, my daughter's father who used to be a
comedian before me, my daughter's father performed as a paid comic,
not on the amateur night at the Apollo. When I
did the show this time, my daughter's a dancer. I
(07:07):
had her and her girls sort of like the fly
girls from Yes.
Speaker 2 (07:10):
Yes, I had them open.
Speaker 3 (07:12):
Up for me.
Speaker 4 (07:12):
So now my daughter can say, my father, my mother,
and I have all performed at the Apollo Theater.
Speaker 1 (07:19):
That's pretty amazing. Lou Lounell Lunell, welcome.
Speaker 3 (07:23):
Black, thank you, Welcome Black. I like that.
Speaker 2 (07:26):
Yes, ma'am, you better tell somebody.
Speaker 1 (07:29):
So let's let's let's talk about voice acting.
Speaker 2 (07:33):
You were Milly and dog Man.
Speaker 1 (07:36):
How fun was it stepping into animation for Universal and
dream Works?
Speaker 4 (07:41):
Well, you know, I also did two Adam Sandler movies,
Hotel Transylvania, True, and I've done Boondocks before. I've done
a cartoon called Apple and Onion. I've done voiceover for
quite a while. I love voiceover, and I'm one you
don't have to and rise lines right, and number two,
(08:03):
you don't have to get dressed up. And I guess
I'm lucky to have this whole, deep voice that I've
got because definitely the minute I open my mouth, people
know who it is, you know, And so I really
enjoy it.
Speaker 3 (08:17):
I really, I really enjoy it. I want to do
more of it.
Speaker 1 (08:20):
Yeah, you know, outside of your the quality of your voice, lou,
what else is it about your spirit and your personality
that you bring to when you're doing voices?
Speaker 4 (08:31):
Well, you know, it is acting at the end of
the day, and you have to be and and a
lot of times you will have the character the animation
in front of you on the big screen, and so
you have to react, you know, like if you're getting punched,
you out oh oh, you know you have to you
have to make noises. You have to be able to,
(08:53):
you know, take the words off the page and bring
them to life without anybody seeing you. Yes, and so
it's a challenge for some, but not for me.
Speaker 3 (09:02):
I love it.
Speaker 1 (09:03):
Yes, Look, you've had some envious roles in TV and film.
What's that like for you?
Speaker 3 (09:14):
It's pretty unbelievable.
Speaker 2 (09:15):
You know.
Speaker 3 (09:15):
I knew I wanted to do well.
Speaker 4 (09:18):
I didn't start off okay, I started off actually well,
the first experience I.
Speaker 3 (09:23):
Had in front of an audience, periit was church choir.
Speaker 4 (09:29):
That's like having a rehearsal on Wednesday show on Sunday,
right right, and you better not forget you're gonna get
scolded by your choir director.
Speaker 3 (09:38):
So that was the first experience.
Speaker 4 (09:40):
I had being in front of people. Then I started
doing theater I was going to.
Speaker 3 (09:45):
I attended all white high schools and.
Speaker 4 (09:47):
Colleges, so I was never really chosen to be the
main character in any of the plays in school. But
I went to the os Um Ensemble Theater, o e
T the Oka Ensemble Theater, and that's when I started
doing more more theater and having better roles. And I
(10:09):
think as a comedian, having a theatrical background could do
nothing but help you because you learn how to use
your stage more. Some people just come and stand on
one spot all night long, but I worked the whole stage.
I'm trying to look at these people, look at those people,
look at these people, make everybody feel included.
Speaker 3 (10:29):
And I just I'm just I don't know.
Speaker 4 (10:33):
I'm just lucky to all the genres that I get
to perform in. As far as iconic roles, you know,
that's up to you to make it iconic. You know,
does make it a world that's tiny. But I've seen
I've seen people in the Academy Awards for a tiny.
Speaker 2 (10:51):
Rule say that, say that absolutely.
Speaker 4 (10:55):
I've won an Emmy Award for the for the Alligator
man in an at right, And that wasn't a great
that wasn't a giant.
Speaker 1 (11:03):
Role, right right right? You know that old expression there
are no small parts ors of small actors. Yeah, yeah,
Lunel were you were people shocked when you were first
starting out as a comedian and then transitioning into acting
because they weren't aware of your theater background. So were
(11:23):
people shocked when when you were transitioning and then when
they started seeing you deliver.
Speaker 3 (11:30):
No, people weren't shocked.
Speaker 4 (11:32):
My family was shocked though, because all I ever wanted
to do was be on television. And I'm the eighth
of eight kids. I was born in taal At, Arkansas.
Nobody in my family has ever been on television unless
they put you on the news for a dui or
something like that. I wasn't closer to anybody in my
(11:54):
family is going.
Speaker 3 (11:55):
To be on TV. Uh.
Speaker 4 (11:58):
And you know, I wouldn't say that they didn't have
faith in me. They probably thought I was crazy, you
know what I'm saying The things I wanted to be
on TV, but I had other opportunities that they did not,
you know, being the baby.
Speaker 3 (12:10):
Things that changed.
Speaker 4 (12:11):
And you have to decide you want to hold this
against them because they didn't support you, or you wanted
to realize that they couldn't dream the dreams that you had,
because I've seen the things you were exposed to. So
it's only when you know when your neighbors and stuff.
So are you just on TV last night?
Speaker 3 (12:29):
She's funny?
Speaker 4 (12:29):
They were like, what, yes, Yeah, the people were in
shock what my family.
Speaker 1 (12:36):
Was yeah, yeah, yeah, And so what is it like?
What is it like?
Speaker 3 (12:40):
Now?
Speaker 1 (12:40):
Are they very very supportive and happy for you? Or
you know, anybody ask you for a loan? I mean,
what's the deal?
Speaker 3 (12:49):
Yes, yes, and yes.
Speaker 4 (12:54):
Yeah, they're happy for me and supportive and they pull
up and all that type of stuff, and they really
don't have to ask, because that's not a good way
to get it from me. I hate when you ask,
but I have eyes and I can see hello. And
if your washing machine has been acting up for five years,
(13:14):
I'll probably buy a washing machine. It's no big deal.
They come on sale all the time, you know. If
you ask me to buy your washing machine, like, that's
not my responsibility. I could care less beat your clothes.
Speaker 3 (13:25):
On a rock.
Speaker 4 (13:26):
But if I see that, you know, for those who
have eyes to see, if I see you need something,
I'll probably get it for you before you could ask.
Speaker 2 (13:35):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, you know.
Speaker 1 (13:37):
Uh, Lunelle, when you were when you were working alongside Jeans,
Smart and Hacks, what's it like to blend your comedy
style with a show that already has so much acclaim,
that was already so big when you came along.
Speaker 4 (13:52):
Well, first of all, who who from Tyler Arkansas thinks
you're ever gonna share the stage with a woman who
was on Designing Women? Who thinks that? I know when
they always say that guy can dream bigger dream for
you things can dream for yourself. I never thought I
was gonna meet Jeane Smart where how she seems like
(14:14):
here and I'm here, and she's white and you know,
sort of iconic. Not I mean, I do with white
people all time, but I mean she's you know, go,
you know, she's designing women.
Speaker 3 (14:25):
White, you know, And I'm like, well, well, how am I? God?
You know what?
Speaker 4 (14:30):
But the experience on HACKS has been great because most
of the time my scene partner is Angela Gibbs, who
is the daughter of Marla Gibbs, and she's my friend
in real life, and they cast us to be best
friends on the show, not knowing that we already good friends,
so our chemistry is great.
Speaker 3 (14:51):
I think that the reason I have such a good time.
I've worked on.
Speaker 4 (14:54):
Other white productions from whatever, I'm not at a good time.
But I think the reason I have a good time
on this because the writing is so phenomenal, so witty,
so edgy, and that's what I like, you know, I
don't like that polypier bread, you know whatever, leave it
to beaver type stuff. I like edgy material, and they
(15:16):
have that for this show. That's why it's one, you know,
so many Emmys. And then also the lesson that we
learned here is that Hollywood doesn't normally write for older women.
Everything is for the kids. But people get oh, if
they're lucky, Hell well, they have stories to tell too,
And so when they finally did write for an older woman,
jeans smart, look what happened? And they have it, you know,
(15:40):
romantic scenes and all this real human stuff that people do.
You know, they're not just trying to make everybody grandma
grandma and all.
Speaker 3 (15:49):
That type of stuff.
Speaker 4 (15:49):
So it's been really that's been a wonderful ride.
Speaker 2 (15:54):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (15:54):
And it's funny too because then they bring Grandma onto
the show and then they want to bump her off.
Speaker 3 (16:00):
Yeah, and Grandma probably outlive everybody.
Speaker 1 (16:02):
You better tell somebody something that is definitely the truth.
Speaker 3 (16:06):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (16:07):
So, Luna, what is it like to be back at
Jimmy Kimmel's Comedy Club in Vegas? What's that like to
be back there again?
Speaker 3 (16:15):
Well?
Speaker 4 (16:15):
I think it's very heady actually, because to say that
you have a residency in Vegas. Now a lot of
people use that residency word in the wrong connotation. If
you come and you do eight weeks in Vegus, you
don't have a residency. You have an extended engagement. You
understand you have eight weeks, and that's fine. I'm going on.
Speaker 3 (16:35):
My this is my fifth year being out there.
Speaker 4 (16:38):
Well third, if you take off two years for the Corona,
because I was not our fault, let's just say five years.
I just signed for two more years. I'm not going anywhere.
I don't work like for the Vllagio or for seasons.
I work for Jimmy Kimmel. Jimmy Kimmel has a nationally
renowned television show.
Speaker 3 (16:57):
I've been blessed to go on the show three times.
Speaker 4 (17:00):
Just because you're a resident doesn't mean you're gonna make
it on the show, and I've done on the show
three times. Jimmy and I are I like to think
that we're pretty good friends, like minded people, and I
love Las Vegas. There's many reasons to not love it.
I know that too. I know about the history. I
even did a documentary called Blacks in Las Vegas on Amazon.
(17:21):
But I really like it. I'm glad to have a home,
a place that I call home. I can come and
I got free reign to do whatever I want. They
treat me very well, and I hope to be there
for a long long time.
Speaker 1 (17:35):
Yeah, what's your favorite city to work in?
Speaker 2 (17:37):
Lunel?
Speaker 4 (17:39):
I don't have a favorite, because I get a lot
of love everywhere. But I'm gonna give right now, in
this moment, I'm gonna say Texas, because Texas so big.
I've done Dallas, I've done Houston, I've done Arlington. I
don't do you know, Austin, They got San Antonio. You know, Texas,
(18:00):
and then they because I was born in Arkansas, because
I have family that lives in Texas, they always pull
up for me and all that type of stuff, you know.
So I really have a great, a great time in
Texas other places too.
Speaker 3 (18:15):
You know who doesn't like to do Hawaii? I love
to do Hawaii.
Speaker 4 (18:19):
I'm Phoenix, which you know I'm not crazy about and
that desert heat, but Phoenix shows up for me as
well as a club calls stand up live in Phoenix.
Speaker 3 (18:28):
I don't know. I like. I like a lot of
the places where I'm proform.
Speaker 1 (18:32):
Yeah, a lot of people don't know that with with
comedy or sometimes with plays, they have celebrity nights where
there are a lot of celebrities that show up for performances.
Are you a little nervous lunel when when it's a
celebrity night or or or a few or more of
your celebrity friends are there.
Speaker 3 (18:51):
No.
Speaker 4 (18:51):
I did a show last night, which is when I'm so,
I don't have about any makeup because I really just
you know, been bombarded with phone calls and every thing's
runing from people who came to the show last night.
Speaker 3 (19:02):
A great time last night at my show. Jack A.
Speaker 4 (19:05):
Harry was there, the great Jennifer Lewis was there. Stan
Shaw that's on Family Business right now, he was there.
You know some other industry people. I don't get nervous
about that. I don't get nervous about that at all.
I actually get excited because the thing about being comedian.
(19:26):
If you're a singer, I turn on the radio in
the car and I hear you, and I can think
about you. Oh, I'm thinking about I'll be sure today
I'm thinking about Charlie Wisten, you know, because of the music.
If you're an actor on a TV show you turn
on TV, Oh there they are, he's advertisement about it.
Speaker 3 (19:42):
Who's commers about it?
Speaker 4 (19:44):
But comedy you have to go search it out. Like
we're not on the radio. Lets you go to the
comedy channel. And so a lot of people know me,
and a lot of people see me, and a lot
of people like me, but a lot of people don't
know what I do they actually get up and come
to see me live or if they tune into my
(20:05):
Netflix specialists streaming still right now, produced by Dave Chappelle. So,
like last night, Jennifer Lewis, the Great Jennifer Lewis told
me I was a genius shit and never seen me.
I did like two hours and some change, you know,
just running off of the bud and talk about different
subjects and stuff like this. And she was very very
(20:27):
impressed because, like I said, a lot of people see me,
but they don't They see me, but they don't see
me absolutely.
Speaker 1 (20:34):
So you were a brand ambassador for Savage Fitti. I mean,
you know I've heard that Miss Rihanna that she'll pick
up a phone and call somebody to ask them to
do a show. Did did she call you personally? And
what was it like being a brand ambassador.
Speaker 4 (20:54):
Actually hers to a bus driver is a friend of
mine that had been our tour bus driver when I
was on tour with Kat Williams.
Speaker 3 (21:03):
So we became friends. We save friendsly. He went on
to another toy.
Speaker 4 (21:06):
So he was driving for Rihanna and they were watching
me in the tray on the bus and he they
had to stop and he said, I'm gonna calling Nail
right now, and she's like, yeah, call.
Speaker 3 (21:18):
Her, and so he facetied me and my friend.
Speaker 4 (21:23):
Damien and he's like, we were just watching you on
the bus because I always know he's driving a celebrity
because that's what he does.
Speaker 3 (21:29):
And I said, who was swed?
Speaker 4 (21:31):
And he Brihanna popped on the screen, you know, broke
fingernail trying to get that screenshot. I got it. I've
never posted it, and she said, yeah, I'm a really
big fan.
Speaker 3 (21:45):
I was like, oh my god. You know.
Speaker 4 (21:47):
We chatted for a minute and I told her, I said,
my daughter really loves your lingerie. I wish you made
it bigger sizes, girl, and she said, but I do.
I said, I said, a shoot, I want to be
a model. I want a model for you. Be a
savage checks finery bottle. She said, let's make it happen.
Speaker 3 (22:06):
I was like, ah, I thought was just key, can't
got off the phone.
Speaker 4 (22:10):
Well, the next week I got an email with contracts
and this and that, and I'm like, oh my god,
you know it's real. And then once you signed a contract,
they send you catalogs.
Speaker 3 (22:21):
You pick out what you think you might want.
Speaker 4 (22:22):
To wear it, and they send it back to you,
do the photo shoot, turn it in. They tell you
what to put on your story and what to put
on your page, and you know, it's a little I
almost thought I had been off of checking my arm
as I'm like, oh my god, you know what is
this has got a net flower on the booty, you
know what?
Speaker 3 (22:45):
But because it was Rihanna and.
Speaker 4 (22:48):
She's so beloved and exceptional, I got a pass. It's
not people thinking I was trying a third trap or
be you know like that.
Speaker 3 (22:57):
It was. It was for Rihanna.
Speaker 4 (22:58):
And then she had the Savage fenty fashion show during
COVID and it was on Amazon Prime and I'm on
the way Paris Hilton and Willow Smith. So I was like, yeah,
this is fantastic. And then you get a check too.
Speaker 2 (23:15):
Write a check.
Speaker 1 (23:17):
Yeah, Lunell, was it empowering for you? You know, like you said,
it's not often that you find the lingerie company that's
that's making lingerie for for for real women. And then
was it empowering for you to embrace it and to
do that.
Speaker 4 (23:37):
I didn't think that it was at first because I
was so terrified. But later as women wrote me, it said,
oh my gosh, Lunell, you look amazing and you're making
me want to do a photo shoot for my own
self or for my husband, and if you can do it,
I can do it. And thank you for not you know,
(23:58):
you know, I didn't get a lot of buy shaming
or anything like that because my pictures were pretty amazing, yes,
and so.
Speaker 3 (24:07):
It was just.
Speaker 4 (24:09):
It was just a blessing to get the opportunity to
represent Rihanna.
Speaker 3 (24:13):
Like I said, it's it's her.
Speaker 4 (24:15):
It wasn't like I was doing it for Timu or
something like no, no shame, no shame.
Speaker 1 (24:22):
Hitting me in the room. It's the phenomenal, beautiful, talented Lunell.
Speaker 2 (24:29):
Lunell will.
Speaker 3 (24:33):
Thank you.
Speaker 2 (24:34):
See if you're listening on the radio, you guys, be
sure to tune into the YouTube next week because you
have to see all of Lunell's mannerisms and the whole
because you're gonna be missing out. So how you doing.
Speaker 4 (24:51):
I'm doing good, trying to fight through a fight, through
balancing some rest and being very much in demand.
Speaker 3 (24:58):
But you know, I'm in a to get it in.
Speaker 4 (25:00):
I think all of us entertainers must have some form
of what's up?
Speaker 3 (25:06):
Whendn't they have a sleep disorder? Uh?
Speaker 1 (25:09):
Uh?
Speaker 3 (25:10):
We we are insomnia.
Speaker 4 (25:12):
I think some of us have a form of insomnia
because you know, just like if you get off work
at five, you don't come home and go straight to bed.
Speaker 2 (25:21):
Right for a while exactly.
Speaker 4 (25:23):
And we get off it too, we may say for
a while, and now it's five in the morning. We
want to go to sleep, and we do. But your
people on the East Coast are calling because that's what
time it is in the East Coast, and you know
you sleep this interrupted a lot. We ought to do
a lot of sleeping on planes. And there's which I
can sleep on a plane. I've heard people say I
(25:44):
can't sleep on like you can't.
Speaker 1 (25:46):
I'm one of those people.
Speaker 3 (25:48):
What's the minute I clicked that seat belt, I'm out.
Speaker 2 (25:54):
You said, that's your secret.
Speaker 3 (25:56):
I clicked that seatbelt.
Speaker 2 (26:00):
Out.
Speaker 1 (26:02):
You know, what what do you do? What do you
do for fun? And how do you find time for
just yourself? No work, no family, just lunel.
Speaker 4 (26:09):
Well, I like to lay in bed and scroll around.
I like to do that. I like to spend time
with my daughter.
Speaker 3 (26:21):
Yes, she's a hoot.
Speaker 4 (26:23):
I love fine dining. I think that's obvious. You know,
I love to go out to dinner. Because one of
the things I missed during the one of the things
I missed during the rona was this sound right here china,
you know, cocktail glasses. I missed all that because it
(26:48):
was paper plates and plastic comes.
Speaker 3 (26:50):
From me for two years.
Speaker 2 (26:52):
Wow.
Speaker 4 (26:52):
You know I didn't because I wasn't going out and
we were cooking. But you know, ain't nobody trying to
do no bunch of dishes time? So I just didn't
use a lot of my china and Crystal were during
the runa, even though we were home. You know, I
missed hearing the clink of wine glasses and stuff like that.
Speaker 2 (27:14):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (27:15):
Yeah, what's you always ask us when people bring up
food or bringing up cooking, What's what's your what's your
go to dish? Lunel?
Speaker 3 (27:22):
What can you eat or to cook.
Speaker 2 (27:29):
Tell me, tell me, tell me both.
Speaker 3 (27:31):
My go to dish to eat would probably be gumbo.
Speaker 1 (27:34):
Oh yes, I love yeah, me too.
Speaker 4 (27:39):
That's like I you know, I don't like bad gumbo,
but I love good gumbo, and I make and I
make a cold blooded I make when I make my gumbo,
it's like six hundred dollars easy to make a pox
because you know, you got to get to good crabs.
I like different types of shrimps, and you know it
depending on if I'm going to make oak corakubo, regular gumbo,
(28:01):
do I want oysters and all that kind of stuff.
So I would say gumbo is my favorite everything to
eat and to cook.
Speaker 3 (28:10):
But I made some cold blooded greens, my greens bar nine.
Speaker 1 (28:15):
Yes, save me a bowl of gumbo, and save me
a bowl of greens.
Speaker 4 (28:19):
I'd rat have to save you the greens and the
gumbo playing because I'm very selfish, very selfish about my gumbo, honey.
And then you know there's different kinds because of your creole.
You might make that red root gumbo soil was really easily.
If you don't take care of take care of that
gumble like a baby. You must refrigerated, you know, it's
(28:41):
gonna bubble up and then but I make the regular
brown root gumbo and I prefer that.
Speaker 3 (28:48):
But baby gumbo for me is gumbo for me all.
Speaker 2 (28:51):
Day, all day, every day.
Speaker 1 (28:54):
You're part of the upcoming Paramount Plus comedy Crutch, and
that's Starry Tracy Morgan. Who What can fans expect for
their the spinoff from the Neighborhood? What can they expect
from it?
Speaker 4 (29:07):
First of all, I love television more than movies. I
like to do televin and if you do taping in
front of a live studio audience, you get days to
rehearse and block it and rehearse and rehearse before you
have to actually tape in front of the audience. And
then they'll do multiple tapes so you get the best product.
Speaker 3 (29:30):
Crutch is a Tracy Morgan based show.
Speaker 4 (29:36):
About his family, and yes it is a spin off
of the Neighborhood, but it was a little bit better,
a little better, and I just played like, do you
remember a two two seven rows there used to be
in the window?
Speaker 3 (29:54):
Would be nosy?
Speaker 2 (29:56):
Right?
Speaker 3 (29:57):
I play a character like that. Okay, miss Pearl.
Speaker 2 (30:01):
Miss Pearl, are you enjoying yourself playing the role?
Speaker 3 (30:05):
Yes, we've had.
Speaker 4 (30:06):
We had a great time during that cluse I had
to go back to New York, back and forth to
New York eight weeks in a row, which was fine
with me because I love New York and I love
Tracy Morgan and the other actress that I worked with.
We had Tonia Wood winners in the show and everything
like that, and I like my little character and I
(30:30):
had audition to play this other character. When I got
to this other character, and I'm happy with that. I'm
just glad to I'll be on something that you can
see me a little bit of me every week.
Speaker 1 (30:40):
M Yeah, how how is it? How is it spinning
off from the neighborhood? If you can share that.
Speaker 4 (30:46):
Well, it doesn't start airing, I think until September. And
the first episode we did did have Cedric and te
Cedric and Tashena on it, right, but then they left,
you know, after the first episode, and we just took
over after that.
Speaker 3 (31:06):
So the relationship is established in the first episode.
Speaker 2 (31:09):
It was great.
Speaker 4 (31:10):
I mean, the other thing I like about it is
the multicultural crew. You know, I've worked on shows before
with all white crew and sorry wasn't fun. But when
you worked with a multicultural crew. It's just the music
you play in between takes and the vibe, and we're
all so proud to be there with each other and
so happy.
Speaker 3 (31:31):
You know.
Speaker 4 (31:31):
I felt the same way when I did coming to
America with Eddie on the Tyler Perry Studio lot with
a lot of the crew being African American and Latino
in Latina.
Speaker 3 (31:46):
So I like that.
Speaker 1 (31:48):
Yeah, what do you got coming up next?
Speaker 2 (31:50):
Lou?
Speaker 1 (31:51):
I mean, gosh, I mean, you do so much. I'm
gonna ask you a better question because I was wondering
about this earlier.
Speaker 2 (31:57):
Do you ever want to produce anything? And if so,
what would it be?
Speaker 1 (32:02):
You know?
Speaker 4 (32:03):
I just got and I just got a request to
direct something which I've never directed before. I don't know,
because you got to know a lot about a lot production.
Producing something means to the person behind the capital to
bring it to life. And no, I ain't never thought
(32:23):
about that. I'm not there yet. I got production money. Sorry,
maybe one day, but yeah, I'm not I'm not quite
there yet, not quite there yet.
Speaker 1 (32:35):
Yeah, So what is coming up for you nextlle Now?
Speaker 4 (32:39):
Well, season five of Hatch is is?
Speaker 3 (32:43):
I mean? Yeah? Am I getting mixed up?
Speaker 1 (32:47):
No?
Speaker 3 (32:48):
Hacks? Hacks okay.
Speaker 4 (32:49):
Season five of Hacks is streaming right now on HBO Max.
Speaker 3 (32:56):
I'm on tour, doing my own tour.
Speaker 4 (32:59):
I have my resis I didn't see in Las Vegas
every Sunday and Monday night at ten pm at Jimmy
Kimmel's Comedy Club under the Big Ferris Wheel in Las Vegas.
I just started last night a once a month limited engagement.
Speaker 3 (33:16):
At the.
Speaker 4 (33:19):
At Flappers Comedy Club in Burbank. Here in Los Angeles,
I'm in the middle of riding my autobio N And
I mean, it's just I got like going on a
lot of travel.
Speaker 1 (33:34):
Right if it gets made into a movie. Movie, if
it were made into a movie, right now, who would
you want to play?
Speaker 2 (33:39):
You?
Speaker 3 (33:41):
Easy?
Speaker 4 (33:41):
Brayley Evans. Brayley Evans is who I want to play.
I wanted her for years. She's got the adorableness. But
she can go hard too because she's from Oakland. She's
chunky like me and sassy, and I think she could
do it.
Speaker 3 (33:57):
I think she could play me really well.
Speaker 1 (33:58):
Yes, and lou Nell working everybody find you? I agree?
Where can everybody find you? On social media?
Speaker 3 (34:04):
Oh? On social media?
Speaker 4 (34:05):
Because I was about to give a single in my address,
But anyway, I know you can find me on Instagram
at Lunel at l U E n e l L.
On Facebook, I'm like Lunel Campbell. That's my one of
my many last names, Lunel Campbell face.
Speaker 3 (34:26):
But that's another story to be in the book. And then, uh,
I think my.
Speaker 4 (34:33):
Website where you could go to see where I'm going
to be purchase tickets by any of my products, which
is like I have a Catta inline, I have a
perfume line called Iconic.
Speaker 3 (34:45):
You could go to Hey, Lunel dot com.
Speaker 4 (34:47):
H E y l U e n e l l
dot com.
Speaker 1 (34:52):
All right, Lunell, thank you so much for joining me
on Black in the green Room. It's always a pleasure
and I always love having you.
Speaker 3 (35:00):
God bless you. Thank you so much and I can't
wait till the next time.
Speaker 1 (35:04):
Be sure to follow me Keith Underwood at mister Keith
ll Underwood on ig You can also follow me on
FB at Keith lle Underwood. And you know you gotta
follow Black in the green Room at Black in the
green Room across all platforms until next time.
Speaker 2 (35:20):
This has been Black in the green Room
You are Black in the green Room with me your host,
Keith Underwood, and this is your spot for real talk
about entertainment with the entertainers, creatives and show viz professionals.
Y'all know, y'all know, we love to bring legends through
the green room, and today we've got one of the funniest,
fiercest women in the game. She's the original bad girl
(00:23):
of comedy and she's fresh off another sould out show
at the Apollo Theater making history once again. Come on, now,
you've heard her in You've heard her in dog Man,
seen her killing it in Hacks on HBO, and she's
back in Vegas with her comedy residency from Netflix to
(00:44):
Broadway to Savage Vintie. This woman does it all. Please
welcome back to Black in the Green Room, the unstoppable Lunell.
Speaker 2 (00:53):
Lunell, what is up?
Speaker 3 (01:00):
How are you? Thank you for having me back?
Speaker 2 (01:02):
Of course, anytime, anytime.
Speaker 4 (01:04):
How you been I've been pretty exhausted, yes, but but
you know, blessed at the same time booked and busy
and in this millennial.
Speaker 3 (01:16):
Obsessed world for og like me to still be out.
Speaker 4 (01:20):
Here and causing a ruckers and being in demand as
a pretty pretty wonderful thing.
Speaker 1 (01:26):
That's right, absolutely, no, we know what's what's the realness
about it? You said, you know you've got a lot
going on. There's a lot of moving parts to what
you're doing right now, like and you said, it's it
wears you out, it's tiring.
Speaker 2 (01:40):
What's that like?
Speaker 4 (01:42):
Well, you know, as a female in this game, it's
very taxing on your motherhood time, it's very taxing on
your relationship.
Speaker 3 (01:55):
It's very hard to have one. And nobody just wants
to work.
Speaker 2 (01:59):
You know.
Speaker 3 (01:59):
I'm a I'm I don't want my handheld too. I
want to go out to dinner too.
Speaker 4 (02:02):
But man, cow, you know, and everybody, every man is
not secure enough to be with a woman who's as
popular as I am on site. You know, these nails,
it's hair, and it's like a light bulb on my head.
Speaker 3 (02:19):
And so I'm hard to miss, you know.
Speaker 4 (02:21):
Unless I try to go a little undercover, and that
never works because I, like I said, if they see
my hands, they know who I am. If I open
my mouth, I'm busted immediately with this baritone voice of mine.
So it's it's a little difficult, but thank god that
I you know, I am a praying woman and that
(02:42):
I am getting the love that will suffice me for
now from my fans.
Speaker 2 (02:50):
Nice. That's that's beautiful. Who know?
Speaker 1 (02:52):
You know, what is what is it like when people
come up to you. What's the first thing that they
say to you?
Speaker 4 (02:58):
Well, they usually just start laughing before I can say, hey,
how are you today? And they just start busting up,
you know. Or they'll come up to me and you know,
oh my god, my mom loves you, or you're my
favorite comic, or I love right saw da da da
da da uh when you're gonna go into it with
(03:18):
Cat Williams again or blah blah blah. You know, a
lot of people know me from him, and it depends
on how you approach me what my reaction may because
I'm not always you know.
Speaker 3 (03:31):
Happy and cheerful.
Speaker 4 (03:32):
If you bother me before I go into the bathroom,
if I'm headed toward the bathroom, You're gonna get a
different reaction then you would if you would wait and
let me come out of the bathroom. You know, if
I'm going to the bathroom, obviously I have to go,
so like, don't stop me or anybody on the way
into the bathroom. But once we come out. We relieved ourselves.
(03:53):
Watch their hands come out. You'll get a different reaction,
you know what I'm saying. Or people come up and say, hey,
you know, I really your work. You're so funny. Would
you mind if I get a photo? I don't mind that,
But it's what girl girl yous A girl used somebody
that night. You're making a big production. That's gotta alert
(04:13):
other people. Now we gotta scene, right man?
Speaker 3 (04:18):
So you know it's levels to this.
Speaker 1 (04:20):
Yeah, yeah, you know, Lunell. You just recently rocked the
Apollo Theater, as I mentioned early, and you're Milly and
dog Man.
Speaker 2 (04:28):
How fun is it?
Speaker 1 (04:29):
You know, stepping into into making history as one of
the first comedians since Moms mayble to sell out the Apollo.
Speaker 4 (04:41):
Black females because I don't know, they might have some
other comedians do it in the mouth, but I'm the
first black female comic to sell out the Apollo doing
comedy since nineteen sixty eight when Moms did it. And
I did not believe that when they told me, I said,
you got to be kidding. I said, Shirley, Whoopy's been
They're like, no, not to do comedy. I saw Wanda Sykes,
(05:03):
I know you. They said, no, they usually go They
usually go to the Beacon. The Beacon theater is much larger.
You'll make way more money. But see, I didn't do
the Apollo to make money. I did the Apollo to
create legacy. I was very amazed that I got a
chance to even get this opportunity. You know, I've been
(05:26):
to the Apollo. I've walked around it. I've been upstairs.
I've been in the dressing rooms where the supremes and
attempts have been. I've seen the other theater. There's another
theater in there. I've been there when Landa Adams band
was practicing for Christmas Show. I never never thought that
I was going to get the opportunity to perform there.
And when my agents told me that I was going
(05:47):
to be doing the Apollo, I said, okay, who win.
I'm thinking I'm going to be with sad or DLS
and they said, no you. I said me, I'm going
to headline the Apollo. And I was my name under
marquee and everything was very heavy experience. It was very
emotional to know the history of those boards that James Brown.
Speaker 3 (06:07):
Laid in state there when he passed away.
Speaker 4 (06:10):
You know, I'm saying a region probably performed there fifteen times,
you know, from the Jackson five to the Tempts to
the Tops.
Speaker 3 (06:19):
And I was on that stage and it blew my mind.
Speaker 4 (06:23):
And then to add one more thing layer to it.
Back when they were doing and I brought Keiki Svard
with me, by the way, both.
Speaker 3 (06:30):
Times Apollo legend.
Speaker 2 (06:32):
Yes, because I.
Speaker 4 (06:33):
Feel like I would be remiss since I know her,
to not go back and bring her and.
Speaker 3 (06:39):
Let the people see her.
Speaker 4 (06:40):
She still looks good, she's amazing, She's an Apollo legend.
Speaker 3 (06:44):
Why wouldn't I bring her back?
Speaker 2 (06:45):
You know?
Speaker 4 (06:46):
And back when they were doing showtime at the Apollo
amateur night, my daughter's father who used to be a
comedian before me, my daughter's father performed as a paid comic,
not on the amateur night at the Apollo. When I
did the show this time, my daughter's a dancer. I
(07:07):
had her and her girls sort of like the fly
girls from Yes.
Speaker 2 (07:10):
Yes, I had them open.
Speaker 3 (07:12):
Up for me.
Speaker 4 (07:12):
So now my daughter can say, my father, my mother,
and I have all performed at the Apollo Theater.
Speaker 1 (07:19):
That's pretty amazing. Lou Lounell Lunell, welcome.
Speaker 3 (07:23):
Black, thank you, Welcome Black. I like that.
Speaker 2 (07:26):
Yes, ma'am, you better tell somebody.
Speaker 1 (07:29):
So let's let's let's talk about voice acting.
Speaker 2 (07:33):
You were Milly and dog Man.
Speaker 1 (07:36):
How fun was it stepping into animation for Universal and
dream Works?
Speaker 4 (07:41):
Well, you know, I also did two Adam Sandler movies,
Hotel Transylvania, True, and I've done Boondocks before. I've done
a cartoon called Apple and Onion. I've done voiceover for
quite a while. I love voiceover, and I'm one you
don't have to and rise lines right, and number two,
(08:03):
you don't have to get dressed up. And I guess
I'm lucky to have this whole, deep voice that I've
got because definitely the minute I open my mouth, people
know who it is, you know, And so I really
enjoy it.
Speaker 3 (08:17):
I really, I really enjoy it. I want to do
more of it.
Speaker 1 (08:20):
Yeah, you know, outside of your the quality of your voice, lou,
what else is it about your spirit and your personality
that you bring to when you're doing voices?
Speaker 4 (08:31):
Well, you know, it is acting at the end of
the day, and you have to be and and a
lot of times you will have the character the animation
in front of you on the big screen, and so
you have to react, you know, like if you're getting punched,
you out oh oh, you know you have to you
have to make noises. You have to be able to,
(08:53):
you know, take the words off the page and bring
them to life without anybody seeing you. Yes, and so
it's a challenge for some, but not for me.
Speaker 3 (09:02):
I love it.
Speaker 1 (09:03):
Yes, Look, you've had some envious roles in TV and film.
What's that like for you?
Speaker 3 (09:14):
It's pretty unbelievable.
Speaker 2 (09:15):
You know.
Speaker 3 (09:15):
I knew I wanted to do well.
Speaker 4 (09:18):
I didn't start off okay, I started off actually well,
the first experience I.
Speaker 3 (09:23):
Had in front of an audience, periit was church choir.
Speaker 4 (09:29):
That's like having a rehearsal on Wednesday show on Sunday,
right right, and you better not forget you're gonna get
scolded by your choir director.
Speaker 3 (09:38):
So that was the first experience.
Speaker 4 (09:40):
I had being in front of people. Then I started
doing theater I was going to.
Speaker 3 (09:45):
I attended all white high schools and.
Speaker 4 (09:47):
Colleges, so I was never really chosen to be the
main character in any of the plays in school. But
I went to the os Um Ensemble Theater, o e
T the Oka Ensemble Theater, and that's when I started
doing more more theater and having better roles. And I
(10:09):
think as a comedian, having a theatrical background could do
nothing but help you because you learn how to use
your stage more. Some people just come and stand on
one spot all night long, but I worked the whole stage.
I'm trying to look at these people, look at those people,
look at these people, make everybody feel included.
Speaker 3 (10:29):
And I just I'm just I don't know.
Speaker 4 (10:33):
I'm just lucky to all the genres that I get
to perform in. As far as iconic roles, you know,
that's up to you to make it iconic. You know,
does make it a world that's tiny. But I've seen
I've seen people in the Academy Awards for a tiny.
Speaker 2 (10:51):
Rule say that, say that absolutely.
Speaker 4 (10:55):
I've won an Emmy Award for the for the Alligator
man in an at right, And that wasn't a great
that wasn't a giant.
Speaker 1 (11:03):
Role, right right right? You know that old expression there
are no small parts ors of small actors. Yeah, yeah,
Lunel were you were people shocked when you were first
starting out as a comedian and then transitioning into acting
because they weren't aware of your theater background. So were
(11:23):
people shocked when when you were transitioning and then when
they started seeing you deliver.
Speaker 3 (11:30):
No, people weren't shocked.
Speaker 4 (11:32):
My family was shocked though, because all I ever wanted
to do was be on television. And I'm the eighth
of eight kids. I was born in taal At, Arkansas.
Nobody in my family has ever been on television unless
they put you on the news for a dui or
something like that. I wasn't closer to anybody in my
(11:54):
family is going.
Speaker 3 (11:55):
To be on TV. Uh.
Speaker 4 (11:58):
And you know, I wouldn't say that they didn't have
faith in me. They probably thought I was crazy, you
know what I'm saying The things I wanted to be
on TV, but I had other opportunities that they did not,
you know, being the baby.
Speaker 3 (12:10):
Things that changed.
Speaker 4 (12:11):
And you have to decide you want to hold this
against them because they didn't support you, or you wanted
to realize that they couldn't dream the dreams that you had,
because I've seen the things you were exposed to. So
it's only when you know when your neighbors and stuff.
So are you just on TV last night?
Speaker 3 (12:29):
She's funny?
Speaker 4 (12:29):
They were like, what, yes, Yeah, the people were in
shock what my family.
Speaker 1 (12:36):
Was yeah, yeah, yeah, And so what is it like?
What is it like?
Speaker 3 (12:40):
Now?
Speaker 1 (12:40):
Are they very very supportive and happy for you? Or
you know, anybody ask you for a loan? I mean,
what's the deal?
Speaker 3 (12:49):
Yes, yes, and yes.
Speaker 4 (12:54):
Yeah, they're happy for me and supportive and they pull
up and all that type of stuff, and they really
don't have to ask, because that's not a good way
to get it from me. I hate when you ask,
but I have eyes and I can see hello. And
if your washing machine has been acting up for five years,
(13:14):
I'll probably buy a washing machine. It's no big deal.
They come on sale all the time, you know. If
you ask me to buy your washing machine, like, that's
not my responsibility. I could care less beat your clothes.
Speaker 3 (13:25):
On a rock.
Speaker 4 (13:26):
But if I see that, you know, for those who
have eyes to see, if I see you need something,
I'll probably get it for you before you could ask.
Speaker 2 (13:35):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, you know.
Speaker 1 (13:37):
Uh, Lunelle, when you were when you were working alongside Jeans,
Smart and Hacks, what's it like to blend your comedy
style with a show that already has so much acclaim,
that was already so big when you came along.
Speaker 4 (13:52):
Well, first of all, who who from Tyler Arkansas thinks
you're ever gonna share the stage with a woman who
was on Designing Women? Who thinks that? I know when
they always say that guy can dream bigger dream for
you things can dream for yourself. I never thought I
was gonna meet Jeane Smart where how she seems like
(14:14):
here and I'm here, and she's white and you know,
sort of iconic. Not I mean, I do with white
people all time, but I mean she's you know, go,
you know, she's designing women.
Speaker 3 (14:25):
White, you know, And I'm like, well, well, how am I? God?
You know what?
Speaker 4 (14:30):
But the experience on HACKS has been great because most
of the time my scene partner is Angela Gibbs, who
is the daughter of Marla Gibbs, and she's my friend
in real life, and they cast us to be best
friends on the show, not knowing that we already good friends,
so our chemistry is great.
Speaker 3 (14:51):
I think that the reason I have such a good time.
I've worked on.
Speaker 4 (14:54):
Other white productions from whatever, I'm not at a good time.
But I think the reason I have a good time
on this because the writing is so phenomenal, so witty,
so edgy, and that's what I like, you know, I
don't like that polypier bread, you know whatever, leave it
to beaver type stuff. I like edgy material, and they
(15:16):
have that for this show. That's why it's one, you know,
so many Emmys. And then also the lesson that we
learned here is that Hollywood doesn't normally write for older women.
Everything is for the kids. But people get oh, if
they're lucky, Hell well, they have stories to tell too,
And so when they finally did write for an older woman,
jeans smart, look what happened? And they have it, you know,
(15:40):
romantic scenes and all this real human stuff that people do.
You know, they're not just trying to make everybody grandma
grandma and all.
Speaker 3 (15:49):
That type of stuff.
Speaker 4 (15:49):
So it's been really that's been a wonderful ride.
Speaker 2 (15:54):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (15:54):
And it's funny too because then they bring Grandma onto
the show and then they want to bump her off.
Speaker 3 (16:00):
Yeah, and Grandma probably outlive everybody.
Speaker 1 (16:02):
You better tell somebody something that is definitely the truth.
Speaker 3 (16:06):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (16:07):
So, Luna, what is it like to be back at
Jimmy Kimmel's Comedy Club in Vegas? What's that like to
be back there again?
Speaker 3 (16:15):
Well?
Speaker 4 (16:15):
I think it's very heady actually, because to say that
you have a residency in Vegas. Now a lot of
people use that residency word in the wrong connotation. If
you come and you do eight weeks in Vegus, you
don't have a residency. You have an extended engagement. You
understand you have eight weeks, and that's fine. I'm going on.
Speaker 3 (16:35):
My this is my fifth year being out there.
Speaker 4 (16:38):
Well third, if you take off two years for the Corona,
because I was not our fault, let's just say five years.
I just signed for two more years. I'm not going anywhere.
I don't work like for the Vllagio or for seasons.
I work for Jimmy Kimmel. Jimmy Kimmel has a nationally
renowned television show.
Speaker 3 (16:57):
I've been blessed to go on the show three times.
Speaker 4 (17:00):
Just because you're a resident doesn't mean you're gonna make
it on the show, and I've done on the show
three times. Jimmy and I are I like to think
that we're pretty good friends, like minded people, and I
love Las Vegas. There's many reasons to not love it.
I know that too. I know about the history. I
even did a documentary called Blacks in Las Vegas on Amazon.
(17:21):
But I really like it. I'm glad to have a home,
a place that I call home. I can come and
I got free reign to do whatever I want. They
treat me very well, and I hope to be there
for a long long time.
Speaker 1 (17:35):
Yeah, what's your favorite city to work in?
Speaker 2 (17:37):
Lunel?
Speaker 4 (17:39):
I don't have a favorite, because I get a lot
of love everywhere. But I'm gonna give right now, in
this moment, I'm gonna say Texas, because Texas so big.
I've done Dallas, I've done Houston, I've done Arlington. I
don't do you know, Austin, They got San Antonio. You know, Texas,
(18:00):
and then they because I was born in Arkansas, because
I have family that lives in Texas, they always pull
up for me and all that type of stuff, you know.
So I really have a great, a great time in
Texas other places too.
Speaker 3 (18:15):
You know who doesn't like to do Hawaii? I love
to do Hawaii.
Speaker 4 (18:19):
I'm Phoenix, which you know I'm not crazy about and
that desert heat, but Phoenix shows up for me as
well as a club calls stand up live in Phoenix.
Speaker 3 (18:28):
I don't know. I like. I like a lot of
the places where I'm proform.
Speaker 1 (18:32):
Yeah, a lot of people don't know that with with
comedy or sometimes with plays, they have celebrity nights where
there are a lot of celebrities that show up for performances.
Are you a little nervous lunel when when it's a
celebrity night or or or a few or more of
your celebrity friends are there.
Speaker 3 (18:51):
No.
Speaker 4 (18:51):
I did a show last night, which is when I'm so,
I don't have about any makeup because I really just
you know, been bombarded with phone calls and every thing's
runing from people who came to the show last night.
Speaker 3 (19:02):
A great time last night at my show. Jack A.
Speaker 4 (19:05):
Harry was there, the great Jennifer Lewis was there. Stan
Shaw that's on Family Business right now, he was there.
You know some other industry people. I don't get nervous
about that. I don't get nervous about that at all.
I actually get excited because the thing about being comedian.
(19:26):
If you're a singer, I turn on the radio in
the car and I hear you, and I can think
about you. Oh, I'm thinking about I'll be sure today
I'm thinking about Charlie Wisten, you know, because of the music.
If you're an actor on a TV show you turn
on TV, Oh there they are, he's advertisement about it.
Speaker 3 (19:42):
Who's commers about it?
Speaker 4 (19:44):
But comedy you have to go search it out. Like
we're not on the radio. Lets you go to the
comedy channel. And so a lot of people know me,
and a lot of people see me, and a lot
of people like me, but a lot of people don't
know what I do they actually get up and come
to see me live or if they tune into my
(20:05):
Netflix specialists streaming still right now, produced by Dave Chappelle. So,
like last night, Jennifer Lewis, the Great Jennifer Lewis told
me I was a genius shit and never seen me.
I did like two hours and some change, you know,
just running off of the bud and talk about different
subjects and stuff like this. And she was very very
(20:27):
impressed because, like I said, a lot of people see me,
but they don't They see me, but they don't see
me absolutely.
Speaker 1 (20:34):
So you were a brand ambassador for Savage Fitti. I mean,
you know I've heard that Miss Rihanna that she'll pick
up a phone and call somebody to ask them to
do a show. Did did she call you personally? And
what was it like being a brand ambassador.
Speaker 4 (20:54):
Actually hers to a bus driver is a friend of
mine that had been our tour bus driver when I
was on tour with Kat Williams.
Speaker 3 (21:03):
So we became friends. We save friendsly. He went on
to another toy.
Speaker 4 (21:06):
So he was driving for Rihanna and they were watching
me in the tray on the bus and he they
had to stop and he said, I'm gonna calling Nail
right now, and she's like, yeah, call.
Speaker 3 (21:18):
Her, and so he facetied me and my friend.
Speaker 4 (21:23):
Damien and he's like, we were just watching you on
the bus because I always know he's driving a celebrity
because that's what he does.
Speaker 3 (21:29):
And I said, who was swed?
Speaker 4 (21:31):
And he Brihanna popped on the screen, you know, broke
fingernail trying to get that screenshot. I got it. I've
never posted it, and she said, yeah, I'm a really
big fan.
Speaker 3 (21:45):
I was like, oh my god. You know.
Speaker 4 (21:47):
We chatted for a minute and I told her, I said,
my daughter really loves your lingerie. I wish you made
it bigger sizes, girl, and she said, but I do.
I said, I said, a shoot, I want to be
a model. I want a model for you. Be a
savage checks finery bottle. She said, let's make it happen.
Speaker 3 (22:06):
I was like, ah, I thought was just key, can't
got off the phone.
Speaker 4 (22:10):
Well, the next week I got an email with contracts
and this and that, and I'm like, oh my god,
you know it's real. And then once you signed a contract,
they send you catalogs.
Speaker 3 (22:21):
You pick out what you think you might want.
Speaker 4 (22:22):
To wear it, and they send it back to you,
do the photo shoot, turn it in. They tell you
what to put on your story and what to put
on your page, and you know, it's a little I
almost thought I had been off of checking my arm
as I'm like, oh my god, you know what is
this has got a net flower on the booty, you
know what?
Speaker 3 (22:45):
But because it was Rihanna and.
Speaker 4 (22:48):
She's so beloved and exceptional, I got a pass. It's
not people thinking I was trying a third trap or
be you know like that.
Speaker 3 (22:57):
It was. It was for Rihanna.
Speaker 4 (22:58):
And then she had the Savage fenty fashion show during
COVID and it was on Amazon Prime and I'm on
the way Paris Hilton and Willow Smith. So I was like, yeah,
this is fantastic. And then you get a check too.
Speaker 2 (23:15):
Write a check.
Speaker 1 (23:17):
Yeah, Lunell, was it empowering for you? You know, like you said,
it's not often that you find the lingerie company that's
that's making lingerie for for for real women. And then
was it empowering for you to embrace it and to
do that.
Speaker 4 (23:37):
I didn't think that it was at first because I
was so terrified. But later as women wrote me, it said,
oh my gosh, Lunell, you look amazing and you're making
me want to do a photo shoot for my own
self or for my husband, and if you can do it,
I can do it. And thank you for not you know,
(23:58):
you know, I didn't get a lot of buy shaming
or anything like that because my pictures were pretty amazing, yes,
and so.
Speaker 3 (24:07):
It was just.
Speaker 4 (24:09):
It was just a blessing to get the opportunity to
represent Rihanna.
Speaker 3 (24:13):
Like I said, it's it's her.
Speaker 4 (24:15):
It wasn't like I was doing it for Timu or
something like no, no shame, no shame.
Speaker 1 (24:22):
Hitting me in the room. It's the phenomenal, beautiful, talented Lunell.
Speaker 2 (24:29):
Lunell will.
Speaker 3 (24:33):
Thank you.
Speaker 2 (24:34):
See if you're listening on the radio, you guys, be
sure to tune into the YouTube next week because you
have to see all of Lunell's mannerisms and the whole
because you're gonna be missing out. So how you doing.
Speaker 4 (24:51):
I'm doing good, trying to fight through a fight, through
balancing some rest and being very much in demand.
Speaker 3 (24:58):
But you know, I'm in a to get it in.
Speaker 4 (25:00):
I think all of us entertainers must have some form
of what's up?
Speaker 3 (25:06):
Whendn't they have a sleep disorder? Uh?
Speaker 1 (25:09):
Uh?
Speaker 3 (25:10):
We we are insomnia.
Speaker 4 (25:12):
I think some of us have a form of insomnia
because you know, just like if you get off work
at five, you don't come home and go straight to bed.
Speaker 2 (25:21):
Right for a while exactly.
Speaker 4 (25:23):
And we get off it too, we may say for
a while, and now it's five in the morning. We
want to go to sleep, and we do. But your
people on the East Coast are calling because that's what
time it is in the East Coast, and you know
you sleep this interrupted a lot. We ought to do
a lot of sleeping on planes. And there's which I
can sleep on a plane. I've heard people say I
(25:44):
can't sleep on like you can't.
Speaker 1 (25:46):
I'm one of those people.
Speaker 3 (25:48):
What's the minute I clicked that seat belt, I'm out.
Speaker 2 (25:54):
You said, that's your secret.
Speaker 3 (25:56):
I clicked that seatbelt.
Speaker 2 (26:00):
Out.
Speaker 1 (26:02):
You know, what what do you do? What do you
do for fun? And how do you find time for
just yourself? No work, no family, just lunel.
Speaker 4 (26:09):
Well, I like to lay in bed and scroll around.
I like to do that. I like to spend time
with my daughter.
Speaker 3 (26:21):
Yes, she's a hoot.
Speaker 4 (26:23):
I love fine dining. I think that's obvious. You know,
I love to go out to dinner. Because one of
the things I missed during the one of the things
I missed during the rona was this sound right here china,
you know, cocktail glasses. I missed all that because it
(26:48):
was paper plates and plastic comes.
Speaker 3 (26:50):
From me for two years.
Speaker 2 (26:52):
Wow.
Speaker 4 (26:52):
You know I didn't because I wasn't going out and
we were cooking. But you know, ain't nobody trying to
do no bunch of dishes time? So I just didn't
use a lot of my china and Crystal were during
the runa, even though we were home. You know, I
missed hearing the clink of wine glasses and stuff like that.
Speaker 2 (27:14):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (27:15):
Yeah, what's you always ask us when people bring up
food or bringing up cooking, What's what's your what's your
go to dish? Lunel?
Speaker 3 (27:22):
What can you eat or to cook.
Speaker 2 (27:29):
Tell me, tell me, tell me both.
Speaker 3 (27:31):
My go to dish to eat would probably be gumbo.
Speaker 1 (27:34):
Oh yes, I love yeah, me too.
Speaker 4 (27:39):
That's like I you know, I don't like bad gumbo,
but I love good gumbo, and I make and I
make a cold blooded I make when I make my gumbo,
it's like six hundred dollars easy to make a pox
because you know, you got to get to good crabs.
I like different types of shrimps, and you know it
depending on if I'm going to make oak corakubo, regular gumbo,
(28:01):
do I want oysters and all that kind of stuff.
So I would say gumbo is my favorite everything to
eat and to cook.
Speaker 3 (28:10):
But I made some cold blooded greens, my greens bar nine.
Speaker 1 (28:15):
Yes, save me a bowl of gumbo, and save me
a bowl of greens.
Speaker 4 (28:19):
I'd rat have to save you the greens and the
gumbo playing because I'm very selfish, very selfish about my gumbo, honey.
And then you know there's different kinds because of your creole.
You might make that red root gumbo soil was really easily.
If you don't take care of take care of that
gumble like a baby. You must refrigerated, you know, it's
(28:41):
gonna bubble up and then but I make the regular
brown root gumbo and I prefer that.
Speaker 3 (28:48):
But baby gumbo for me is gumbo for me all.
Speaker 2 (28:51):
Day, all day, every day.
Speaker 1 (28:54):
You're part of the upcoming Paramount Plus comedy Crutch, and
that's Starry Tracy Morgan. Who What can fans expect for
their the spinoff from the Neighborhood? What can they expect
from it?
Speaker 4 (29:07):
First of all, I love television more than movies. I
like to do televin and if you do taping in
front of a live studio audience, you get days to
rehearse and block it and rehearse and rehearse before you
have to actually tape in front of the audience. And
then they'll do multiple tapes so you get the best product.
Speaker 3 (29:30):
Crutch is a Tracy Morgan based show.
Speaker 4 (29:36):
About his family, and yes it is a spin off
of the Neighborhood, but it was a little bit better,
a little better, and I just played like, do you
remember a two two seven rows there used to be
in the window?
Speaker 3 (29:54):
Would be nosy?
Speaker 2 (29:56):
Right?
Speaker 3 (29:57):
I play a character like that. Okay, miss Pearl.
Speaker 2 (30:01):
Miss Pearl, are you enjoying yourself playing the role?
Speaker 3 (30:05):
Yes, we've had.
Speaker 4 (30:06):
We had a great time during that cluse I had
to go back to New York, back and forth to
New York eight weeks in a row, which was fine
with me because I love New York and I love
Tracy Morgan and the other actress that I worked with.
We had Tonia Wood winners in the show and everything
like that, and I like my little character and I
(30:30):
had audition to play this other character. When I got
to this other character, and I'm happy with that. I'm
just glad to I'll be on something that you can
see me a little bit of me every week.
Speaker 1 (30:40):
M Yeah, how how is it? How is it spinning
off from the neighborhood? If you can share that.
Speaker 4 (30:46):
Well, it doesn't start airing, I think until September. And
the first episode we did did have Cedric and te
Cedric and Tashena on it, right, but then they left,
you know, after the first episode, and we just took
over after that.
Speaker 3 (31:06):
So the relationship is established in the first episode.
Speaker 2 (31:09):
It was great.
Speaker 4 (31:10):
I mean, the other thing I like about it is
the multicultural crew. You know, I've worked on shows before
with all white crew and sorry wasn't fun. But when
you worked with a multicultural crew. It's just the music
you play in between takes and the vibe, and we're
all so proud to be there with each other and
so happy.
Speaker 3 (31:31):
You know.
Speaker 4 (31:31):
I felt the same way when I did coming to
America with Eddie on the Tyler Perry Studio lot with
a lot of the crew being African American and Latino
in Latina.
Speaker 3 (31:46):
So I like that.
Speaker 1 (31:48):
Yeah, what do you got coming up next?
Speaker 2 (31:50):
Lou?
Speaker 1 (31:51):
I mean, gosh, I mean, you do so much. I'm
gonna ask you a better question because I was wondering
about this earlier.
Speaker 2 (31:57):
Do you ever want to produce anything? And if so,
what would it be?
Speaker 1 (32:02):
You know?
Speaker 4 (32:03):
I just got and I just got a request to
direct something which I've never directed before. I don't know,
because you got to know a lot about a lot production.
Producing something means to the person behind the capital to
bring it to life. And no, I ain't never thought
(32:23):
about that. I'm not there yet. I got production money. Sorry,
maybe one day, but yeah, I'm not I'm not quite
there yet, not quite there yet.
Speaker 1 (32:35):
Yeah, So what is coming up for you nextlle Now?
Speaker 4 (32:39):
Well, season five of Hatch is is?
Speaker 3 (32:43):
I mean? Yeah? Am I getting mixed up?
Speaker 1 (32:47):
No?
Speaker 3 (32:48):
Hacks? Hacks okay.
Speaker 4 (32:49):
Season five of Hacks is streaming right now on HBO Max.
Speaker 3 (32:56):
I'm on tour, doing my own tour.
Speaker 4 (32:59):
I have my resis I didn't see in Las Vegas
every Sunday and Monday night at ten pm at Jimmy
Kimmel's Comedy Club under the Big Ferris Wheel in Las Vegas.
I just started last night a once a month limited engagement.
Speaker 3 (33:16):
At the.
Speaker 4 (33:19):
At Flappers Comedy Club in Burbank. Here in Los Angeles,
I'm in the middle of riding my autobio N And
I mean, it's just I got like going on a
lot of travel.
Speaker 1 (33:34):
Right if it gets made into a movie. Movie, if
it were made into a movie, right now, who would
you want to play?
Speaker 2 (33:39):
You?
Speaker 3 (33:41):
Easy?
Speaker 4 (33:41):
Brayley Evans. Brayley Evans is who I want to play.
I wanted her for years. She's got the adorableness. But
she can go hard too because she's from Oakland. She's
chunky like me and sassy, and I think she could
do it.
Speaker 3 (33:57):
I think she could play me really well.
Speaker 1 (33:58):
Yes, and lou Nell working everybody find you? I agree?
Where can everybody find you? On social media?
Speaker 3 (34:04):
Oh? On social media?
Speaker 4 (34:05):
Because I was about to give a single in my address,
But anyway, I know you can find me on Instagram
at Lunel at l U E n e l L.
On Facebook, I'm like Lunel Campbell. That's my one of
my many last names, Lunel Campbell face.
Speaker 3 (34:26):
But that's another story to be in the book. And then, uh,
I think my.
Speaker 4 (34:33):
Website where you could go to see where I'm going
to be purchase tickets by any of my products, which
is like I have a Catta inline, I have a
perfume line called Iconic.
Speaker 3 (34:45):
You could go to Hey, Lunel dot com.
Speaker 4 (34:47):
H E y l U e n e l l
dot com.
Speaker 1 (34:52):
All right, Lunell, thank you so much for joining me
on Black in the green Room. It's always a pleasure
and I always love having you.
Speaker 3 (35:00):
God bless you. Thank you so much and I can't
wait till the next time.
Speaker 1 (35:04):
Be sure to follow me Keith Underwood at mister Keith
ll Underwood on ig You can also follow me on
FB at Keith lle Underwood. And you know you gotta
follow Black in the green Room at Black in the
green Room across all platforms until next time.
Speaker 2 (35:20):
This has been Black in the green Room
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